Water-heater coil



Jan. 11 1927.

1,614,242 R.l c. HoYT WATER HEATER' COIL Filed NOV. 2 3.. 1925 www. 557i lATTORNEY Patented Jan. 1.1, 1927.

UNITEDI STATES 1,614,242 PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT C. HOYT, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO I-.IOYT HEATER COM- PANY, OF LOSr ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

' WATER-HEATER corr..

Applcatcn led November 23, 1925. Serial No. 70,828.

My invention relates to Vwater-heater coilunits adapted to be heated by heating ele- I ments beneath them for the quick vheating of the water passing through .the units, and it has special reference to a unit of this kindV 1n which the arrangement 1s suchas to produce a constant flow of hot water from the unit.

In ordinary water heaters that I am familiar with, the coils have theirinlets4 at the bottom and are arranged to rise above a burner or heating element so that the flame therefrom comes indirect contact with the coils only at their initial convolutions, thus leaving the upper parts of the coil unit, especially the outlets ofthe coils, comparatively f unaffected by the direct heaty from `the burner flame. By such an arrangement it is almost impossible to keep theoutflowing water at a high degree of temperature when water is drawn` continuously from the heating coils. Y Y

The principal object of this invention is to arrange the heating coils in such a manner that a continuous flow of hot waterv therefrom is assured when the burner is functioning.` For this purpose my invention includes an arrangement by which the water that has been heated on its way towards the upper part of the heating coils is reheated before passing out of the terminal coil.

A further object is to protect the terminal coil from overheating. Y

Still further objects and advantages of my water-heater coil-unit will appear as the invention is unfolded in the following detailed description having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: .l

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the principal parts of an automatic water heater equippedwith a coil unit of my invention, certain parts being in section and others broken away in order to better illustrate the coil and the header arrangements; Fig. 2 is a. plan of the heater with the top cover removed, and shows the upper and the lower headers with sections of tubes leading therefrom and the relative curves of the coil tubes at the top and bottom of theheater. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view o f the upper header along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1 and shows the spacing between the coil openings in the header, and that the header is common to the coil openings; and

Fig. 4-isv a side elevation of the valvecasing, with parts in vertical. section taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 2 of the lower header, and shows ythe cold water inlets andY y.the hot water outlet and how ythe latter is separatedfrom the former.

In an automatic water heater 5, of which` regulating the iowof gas to they element 6 and is supported' lin the heater 5 by any suitable means. i l i i The casing 7 ofthe control valve extends laterally so as to provide a threaded water inlet 8 to a lower chamber 9, which has at its top a yvalve openinglO for the seating therein of vthe needle valveV 11 integral with the stem 12 (see'Fig. 4). VThe stem 12 is adjustably secured in the usual stuihng box 12 and extends through an yupper passage 13 and the needle valve regulates the water flow to the passage, which is in communica.- tion with ak header 14, common for coil tube openings 15 and-16 in two outwardly threaded extensions 17 yand 18 on the header. Adapted to extend outwardly and then upwardly from the extensions 17 and18 are an inner heating coil 19 and an outer heating coil 20, the inner heating coil `19 having its inlet connected with the extension 17 by a suitablecoupling nut 21, and the outer heating coil having its inletconnected with the extensionV 18 by a similar nut 22.

In the header 14 is a threaded outlet 23, which is separated from the openings 15 and 16 by a. wall 24 but communicates with an opening 25 in an upper threaded extension 26 on the'header, and a heating coil 27 positioned intermediate the coils 19 and 20 is connected with the extension 26 by a nut 28 similartothe other coupling nuts.

For the purpose of providing a vent for certain vapors arising in the vicinity of the lower center of the heating element 6 and in order to serve as an inner wall for confinlower end, as shown'at 29 in Fig. 1. This Ell lower end piece of the tube may be a sep arate member or integral with the main portion ot the tube and is supported in any suitable manner adjacent to the heating element and in virtually central relation thereto. At its upper end t-he tube 29 serves as a support for an upper header 80, as at the notched hold 30 F ig. 3. This header is common for openings 81, 32 and 33 in three outwardly threaded extensions 34, 35 and 3G on the header. Ot these extensions, the extension 311 has the inner heating coil 19 connected therewith at its outlet by the coupling nut 37 g the extension 35 has the outer heat-- ing coil 2O connected therewith at its outlet by the coupling nut 38; and ,likewise t-he extension 36 has the intermediate heating coil 27 connected therewith at its inlet by the coupling' nut 39.

ln co-operation with the tube 29 the inner wall 10 of a jacket 41 serves as an outer wall for the vconfinement of the flame from the heating element to the vertical path of the coils, andthe jacket is at its top provided witn a usual vent 4t2 for leading the vproduc-ts of combustion away from the heater.

1t is clear from the foregoing that the inflowing water will travel through the coils 19 and 20 and through the upper common header 30, before it reaches the intermediate coil 27, so that it enters the intermediate coil as hot water and .follows that coil in its descending spiral convolutons towards the inlets to the coils: 19, and 2() in the lower header 14:. Since the eXit 25 ot the intermediate coil is separated from the inlets to the coils 19 and 20, it is further seen that the iniiowing cold water can have no cooling effect upon the water exiting from the inter'- mediate coil and that therefore a continuous stream ot hot water will be delivered at maximum efficiency from the heater 5, and also that, by the arrangement of the terminal convolution of the intermediate coil 27 above the initial convolution of the inner coil 19 (see Fig. 2), the inner coil serves a means of protecting the intermediate coil from being overheated by the direct flame.

It finally should be observed that the water, which is to be heated, flows through two coils while the water which already has been heated flows through a single coil, so that the velocity of the hot water is considerably greater than that of the cold water.

Having thus described -my invention, claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent ot the United States the following:

1. A water-heater coil-unit comprising an inner and an outer coil having inlets at their lower ends and adapted to extend above a suitably supported heating element and to allow the circulation of water to be heated by said element, and, an intermediate coil connected with the tiret-mentioned coils at their upper ends and descending towards their inlets to the unit; the lower end of the intermediate coil being above the lower end of one oi the other coils for protection against overheating-and the exit ot said intermediate coil being Vseparated from the inlets to the first-mentioned coils so that only hot water will pass through and issue from the intermediate coil.

2. A water-heater coil-unit comprising an inner and an outer coil having inlets at their lower ends and adapted to extend above a suitably supported heating element and to allow the circulation et water to be heated by said element; an intermediate coil connected with the first-mentioned coils at their upper ends and descending towards their inlets to the unit, the exit or' the intermediate coil being separated from the inlets to the first-mentioned coils so that only het water will pass through and issue from the intermediatecoil, and the initial convolution ojt the inner coil being below the terminal convolution or" the intermediate coil 'tor protecting said coil from being overheated.

3. ln combination, a water-heater coil-unit comprising (1) an inner and an outer coil having inlets at their lower ends and adapted to extend above a suitably supported heating clement `for the circulation through said coils of water to be heated by said element; (2) a suitably supported common header for the inlets to said coils; a suitably supported common header connecting said coils the upper ends thereof; and (4) an intermediate coil Aconnected with said upper header and communicating with the firstunentioned coils at said upper header, the intermediate coil descending towards the inlets of the firstmentioned coils and having its exit separated from the inlets to the first-mentioned coils so that only hot water will pass through and issue from the intermediate coil.

et. 1n combination, a water-heater coil-unitcomprising (1)V an inner and an outer coil having inlets at their lower ends and adapted to extend above a suitably supported heating element Jfor the circulation through said coils of water to be heated by said element; (2) a suitably supported common header for the inlets to said coils; a suitably supported common header connecting' said coils 'at the upper ends thereof-g and (1i) an intermediate coil connected with said upper header and communicating with the first-mentioned coils at said upper header, the intermediate coil descending towards the inlets of the firstmentioned coils and having its eXit above, and separated from, the inlets to the iirstmentioned coils so that only hot water will pass through and issue from the intermediate coil.

5. In combination, a water-heater coil-unit comprising (1) an inner and an outer coil having inlets at their lower ends and adapted to extend above a suitably supported heating element for the circulation through said coils ot water to be heated by said element; (2) a suitably supported common header for the inlets to said coils; (3) a suitably supported common header connecting said coils at the upper ends thereof; and (4) an intermediate coil having its upperV end positioned below the upper ends of the iirstmentioned coils and connected to said upper .header and communicating with said coils7 the intermediate coil descending towards the inlets of the first-mentioned coils and having its eXitseparated from the inlets to the first-mentioned coils so that only hotwater will pass through and issue from the intermediate coil.

(S. In combination; a Water-heater coil-unit con'iprising (l) an inner and an outer coil having inlets at their lower ends and adapted Vto extend above a. suitably supported heating element for the circulation through said coils of water toV be heated by said element; a suitably supported common header for the inlets to said coils; a suitably supported common header connecting said coils at the upper ends thereof; and (4C) an intermediate coil having its upper end positioned below the upper ends of the first-mentioned coils and connected to said upper header and communicating with said coils, the interme.-

diate coil descending toward the inlets of the first-mentioned coils and having its exit above, and separated from, the inlets to the iirst-mentioned coils so that only hot water will pass through and issue from the intermediate coil.

'7. In combination, a water-heater coil-unit comprising (l) an inner and an outer coil having inlets at their lower ends and adapted to extend above a suitably supported heating element tor the circulation through said coils of water to be heated by said element; (2) a suitably supported common header detachably connected with said coils at their inlets;

(3) a suitably supported common header de-` having inlets at their lower ends and adapted to extend above a suitably supported heating element for the circulation through said coils of water to be heated by said element; (2) a suitably supported flue pipe extending with` in the. convolutions of the inner coil and supe porting the upper ends of both the inner and the outer coil; and an intermediate Acoi also supportedy by said flue pipe and connected with the first-mentioned coils at their upper ends and descending towards 'their inlets to the unit, the exit of the intermediate coil being separated from the inlets to the rst-mentioned coils so that only hot water will pass through and issue fromthe intermediate coil. l

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ROBERT C. HOYT. 

